"It's a pity that apart from us, no one will believe this."
The thin middle-aged man coldly huffed, "They'll just think that the Wang family is trying to deceive and lure them with benefits, urging them to help. These people won't lift a finger without incentives. Even if the Mo River extends to their hometown, they'll choose to relocate rather than deal with the river."
"That's human nature, and we can't blame them."
The elderly man shook his head slightly and said, "It's a shame, though, that accumulating ten thousand merit points is too difficult. We would need to destroy a Youdu-level Demon River ten times, and only Town East is a Tai Ping Dao Jing boundary. Otherwise, it's impossible to accomplish this task."
"Let's talk about the matter of the Mo River in Longcheng, Liangzhou, first."
The middle-aged man with an imposing face said, "That Li family youngster must have lured the three Demon Kings into the Mo River in Longcheng, planning to perish together with them in the river."
"That Mo River is extremely dangerous and more treacherous than other Youdu-level Mo Rivers. It ranks among the top ten Youdu-level Mo Rivers."
"Although Li Xiaoran has the advantage of the Li family bloodline, he hasn't made much progress over the years, and it's uncertain if he'll achieve anything this time."
"This is indeed a rare opportunity to catch a turtle in a jar. If we can kill the Taichu Realm master, the Taichu Realm will definitely be heavily damaged and fall from the ranks of the top powers. It will also allow the Town Demon Office to send people to clear them out and relieve the pressure on the border."
"However, the other Saint Palaces and Dragon Gate will most likely not stand by idly, and they may also anticipate our actions and start a big battle."
"What do you think? Should we ask Uncle Town East to come, or should we go ourselves? If that old lady of the Xia family chooses to turn a blind eye, we can always retreat in time."
"I don't think it's worth it."
The thin middle-aged man said, "Uncle Town East has already gone through a lot of trouble clearing the Mo River. It's not right to trouble him with this matter. We agreed to guard the border while they manage the Mo River. Now, they want us to deal with their problems as well. Isn't that laughable?"
The imposing man looked at the old man, who remained silent for a moment before speaking, "I'll go there myself first to take a look. When Town East comes out of the Mo River, let him rest. If necessary, he can come later."
"Uncle, are you really going?"
The thin middle-aged man was taken aback and blurted out, "Hasn't the Wang family cut ties with these demons? Over the years, they've been slaying demons and establishing their reputation. Although the Li family lost six of their children, they were at least diligent and earned a glorious name. What about our Wang family? Who remembers those who died in the Mo River? They're even removed from the merit list. If you ask people nowadays, who still remembers that the Wang family is also part of the Divine General Mansion?"
"If we help them, who will help us with the Mo River?"
Hearing his agitated words, the old man fell silent for a moment before looking up at him and saying, "I'm not going because of the Wang family's responsibilities, but because of my conscience as a martial artist!"
"Humans and demons are incompatible. Slaying demons is the goal of our martial path. What's the point of having martial arts skills if we cower in the mortal world?"
"The Wang family's achievements may be unknown to the world, but Heaven and Earth know, and His Majesty knows. As long as our descendants remember, it's enough!"
Seeing the old man's determined gaze, the thin middle-aged man was stunned, his lips quivering slightly. Finally, he said no more.
...
...
In the Great Yu State, in the Holy City Imperial Capital.
Within the majestic Imperial Palace, in a profound courtyard where peach blossoms bloomed.
Snap!
Along with a crisp sound, in the pavilion, two figures leisurely sat across from each other, playing a game of chess.
One was Yu Huang, and the other was a man in his forties, wearing a luxurious robe with a few strands of white hair at his temples.
His waist token was engraved with the character 'Qing,' and everyone in the Imperial Palace, and even the entire Holy City Imperial Capital, knew that this waist token represented only one identity—Prince Qing, Jiang Qingshan.
Outside the officialdom, in the rivers and lakes, he had another title—Master Qing Shan!
"Your Majesty, you've won again."
Seeing that his black pieces were blocked, cutting off his territory, Jiang Qingshan couldn't help but smile wryly and said with cupped fists.
Yu Huang smiled, "You always concede, this way, playing chess is not fun."
"Your Majesty, your chess skills are superb. How dare I concede? I've already tried my best, but my skills are inferior. I need to practice more when I go back." Jiang Qingshan bitterly smiled.
Yu Huang was delighted to hear this, and a smile hung on the corners of his mouth, "Your chess skills indeed need improvement. You should find a better chess player to accompany you in your practice in your mansion. It's been decades, and you're still worse than a child. There's no progress at all."
Jiang Qingshan was speechless, and he bitterly smiled, "Your Majesty, you're humiliating me. Although my chess skills are not as good as yours, I can still hold my own against the Little Chess Saint. How is it possible that I'm even worse than a child?"
Seeing his dissatisfaction, Yu Huang smiled as he thought of the carefree young man under the willow tree. His smile faded, and he said nothing.
He paused with the chess piece in his hand and said softly, "You already know about the situation in Liangzhou. What do you plan to do?"
Seeing this, Jiang Qingshan also stopped fiddling with the chess pieces and said seriously, "The Saint Palace, Dragon Gate, and Taichu Realm are attacking Liangzhou, and other demon forces are also stirring, eyeing the other states. This divides the attention and leaves less strength for the other states."
"They want to use Liangzhou as a breakthrough point. Once they occupy Liangzhou, they can use the Weihe River aquatic demon forces to advance and attack the other states. With the terrain advantage of Liangzhou, they can defend on land and attack with their navy. They're planning to make a serious move against the Great Yu State!"
Yu Huang nodded slightly, "You should also be aware of the situation behind them."
Jiang Qingshan's eyes narrowed slightly as he nodded, "I heard that the Li family youngster lured the Taichu Realm master into the Mo River in Longcheng. Now is a good opportunity to catch them off guard. Your Majesty summoned me. Do you want me to join the hunt?"
"I want you to hunt, but your target is not the Mo River in Longcheng."
Yu Huang's fingers gently tapped on the chessboard as his eyes fell on the black piece that had fallen off the board. He smiled and said, "Sometimes, the outcome of this game of chess is not determined by the pieces on the board, but by those outside the board."
"The first elder of Dragon Gate, Lu Yuan, took action and cooperated with the Candlelight God to attack Liangzhou. According to the frontline secret report, the Candlelight God originally did not intend to show up, but he had to reveal himself because he found that child too difficult to deal with."
"However, the Dragon Gate's sect master and the many elders of the Saint Palace did not participate in this battle."
"Where do you think they are?"
Jiang Qingshan's heart stirred, and he quickly had an answer, but he shook his head, "This younger brother is dull. Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."
Yu Huang said indifferently, "The older generation of the Li family has not shown up, probably because they are also aware of the problem. Apart from wanting to invade Liangzhou, they also want to take this opportunity to make a big profit and destroy one of the Divine General Mansions!"
"The three major forces have shown their hands, and it's good that the Li family is smart enough not to leave rashly."
"Now that they are all gathered in Qingzhou, it's a good opportunity to hunt them down and uproot them while their base is left unattended!"
Jiang Qingshan's eyes narrowed, "Your Majesty, do you want me to destroy their lair and pull out their roots in Qingzhou?"
"It's been many years since we hunted together. I wonder if your hunting skills have deteriorated?"
A smile appeared on Jiang Qingshan's face as he replied, "I'm afraid I can't compare to Your Majesty, but I guarantee that not a single demon will be left alive after I hunt through the mountains."
"Then let's drink together when you return!" Yu Huang smiled.
Hearing this, Jiang Qingshan stood up, bowed respectfully, and accepted his mission.
...
After seeing Jiang Qingshan off, Chu Jiuyue returned to the pavilion and found Yu Huang still staring at the chessboard, deep in thought.
"Your Majesty, are you thinking about that child?" Chu Jiuyue asked.
Yu Huang's gaze shifted to him, "Tell me, has the fortune of my Great Yu Divine Dynasty truly declined?"
Chu Jiuyue's expression changed slightly, and he quickly replied, "Your Majesty, protected by the previous emperor, our Great Yu Divine Dynasty will always prosper. How can it decline?"
"If it hasn't declined, then why did Li Jialiu, at such a young age, perish beyond the borders years ago, leaving no trace of his body?"
"Why did that child, at the mere age of fifteen, find himself in peril? They are both the future hope and pillars of my Great Yu Divine Dynasty, yet Heaven seems unwilling to grant them time."
Yu Huang stared into the distant sky beyond the courtyard, his voice low, "If only that child had been given ten more years... even just ten years would have been enough."
Chu Jiuyue fell silent.
Thinking about the secret reports from Liangzhou, he knew these words were true.
At the age of fifteen, to cultivate to the Three Immortalities and with a foundation so solid it was unimaginable, to slay a Demon King with the Three Immortalities, and even dare to fight against the Absolute Profundity Realm—it was incredible!
Such a genius could be said to have the bearing of a sage without exaggeration.
Perhaps it was also because of this that he had attracted the attention of the grandmaster of the Grand Ultimate Realm, causing him to abandon the battlefield and pursue this one person... Chu Jiuyue thought to himself.
"Your Majesty, about the Mo River in Liangzhou..."
Yu Huang fell silent for a moment before speaking, "Send for the Ninth Brother and have him go there personally. Spare no effort to bring that child back!"
Chu Jiuyue's pupils contracted slightly. So, they were going to release that madman?
"Your Majesty, if we do that..."
"Are you afraid?"
Yu Huang glanced at him indifferently, his expression calm, "If he comes out, the first sword he wields will likely fall on me, but it's fine. For that child, I will bear it."
"Your Majesty..."
Chu Jiuyue was shaken. He never expected Yu Huang to make such a risky decision.
That Ninth Prince... was not someone to be trifled with!
Within the vast Imperial City, among all the royalty and nobility, that existence was treated with utmost caution.
In the past, he was the madman who nearly cleaved the Imperial City with his sword!
...
After the Battle of Liangzhou, undercurrents stirred in various places.
The royal army of five hundred thousand remained stationed in Liangzhou, awaiting developments near the Mo River.
Meanwhile, Li Tiangang discussed with the two princes and joined forces with the Liangzhou Army, sending a total of two hundred thousand elite troops to the Mo River in Longcheng.
They set up camp outside the Mo River, forming a battle formation to prepare for rescuing Li Hao and Li Xiaoran, who might emerge from the river at any time. They were also ready to confront the grandmaster of the Grand Ultimate Realm, and if they could ambush him, it would be a good thing.
Although the two hundred thousand troops could hardly injure a Grand Ultimate expert, there were many powerful experts hidden among them.
Li Tiangang and the others had received information about the movements of various powerful experts—whether they were heading towards or evading the battle—and had made strategic deployments accordingly.
However, time passed.
Before any conflict broke out near the Mo River, a major event occurred in Yanbei.
Prince Qing led a million-strong army to conquer Saint Palace, trampling their sacred mountain, destroying their mountain gate, and killing countless demons.
Now, the sacred mountain of Saint Palace was in ruins. The spirit spring had been severed, the peaks demolished, and the place was a mess.
This news spread among the demons, soon reaching the demons gathered in Qingzhou.
"Damn, that Qing Shan Daoist is ruthless!"
"He even led the campaign himself. I heard that the Palace Master of Saint Palace was severely injured and fled."
"The other elders of Saint Palace retreated, but I'm afraid they won't make it."
In the secret land of Qingzhou, many hideous figures were gathered, all of them elders of Dragon Gate.
When the situation in Liangzhou turned around, some of the elders of Saint Palace knew that their plan to ambush in Qingzhou would fail.
Once Liangzhou stabilized, the old fellows of the Li family would have no reason to leave the Divine General Mansion.
As such, their ambush would be meaningless.
However, just as the elders of Saint Palace retreated, news of the calamity in Yanbei reached them.
No one expected that Qing Shan Daoist would take this opportunity to turn his attention away from Liangzhou and instead strike at the heart of Saint Palace!
When news of this battle reached them, the elder of the Celestial Bird Sect, a bird demon, personally reported it. At this moment, the various elders of Dragon Gate, including the sect master, were shocked and angry.
At the same time, they were also apprehensive.
Their forces guarding the mountain gate and demon nest had become even thinner. If another royal prince were sent to eradicate them, they would be in grave danger.
After discussing, they could only choose to retreat reluctantly.
The two old fellows of the Li family stayed shut in their mansion, apparently aware of their plan, rendering any further ambush futile.
"Contact Saint Palace. We must go to the Mo River now. There's no turning back. We must rescue the Candlelight God."
"This waste has reached the Half-Step Grand Ultimate Realm, yet he still can't deal with a mere child!"
"Has the Grand Ultimate Realm master been in seclusion for so many years that he's forgotten how to kill people?"
The various elders of Dragon Gate were filled with resentment and anger.
This plan had failed completely. They had neither conquered Liangzhou nor destroyed the Li family in Qingzhou.
And when the various intelligence reports from the Celestial Bird Sect came in, they realized that the plan had failed due to a single variable—the young general named Haotian!
He was from the Li family, that Li family!
Not only Dragon Gate, but the numerous Demon Kings of Saint Palace also harbored deep resentment.
...
Within the Divine General Mansion, Limuxiu received news of the destruction of Saint Palace's lair in Yanbei and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
He knew that His Majesty would never disappoint.
The heart of Saint Palace in Yanbei had been uprooted. The Palace Master fought valiantly but was defeated by Prince Qing, and both sides had unleashed the power of the Great Peace Dao Realm. They had indeed kept their strengths hidden.
However, Prince Qing was more skilled, and with the might of a million-strong elite army, they had razed the entire sacred mountain.
This battle had shocked the demon world, showing them that this aging lion still had the strength to bite off its enemy's neck with a fierce strike!
"Those guys in Qingzhou should be feeling apprehensive now."
"Let's wait a little longer. In a few days, I'll quietly leave for Liangzhou."
Li Muqiu went to the ancestral hall and explained his plan to Li Qingzheng, "You know the situation in Liangzhou. Those guys won't sit idly by. Our ambush of the Candlelight God will likely fail, and their alliance will fall apart.
"But that Candlelight God is at the Half-step Grand Ultimate Realm. Can you stand up to him?" Li Qingzheng asked, his face filled with worry.
Li Muqiu narrowed his eyes and said, "It's just the Half-step Grand Ultimate Realm. Who can't handle that?"
Li Qingzheng was taken aback, and he looked at his brother in surprise, "You... You've touched it too?"
Li Muqiu nodded slightly, his face suddenly looking a little sad. "It was a sudden realization during those years of accompanying Hao'er fishing and chatting idly. Speaking of which, I should also thank that child..."
Li Qingzheng was a little excited, but when he mentioned Li Hao, he thought of the boy who had played chess with him in the courtyard for four or five years. He sighed and said, "It's a pity that Tian Gang is too stubborn, and that boy is also stubborn. However, now that you've touched that step, you can finally catch up with your older brother."
"Big brother..."
Li Muqiu thought of his eldest brother, who had been killed in the Dragon City battle, ambushed and surrounded by the Dragon Gate's sect master and several Demon Kings. His fist clenched involuntarily.
Back then, he had been wandering around, chasing after the girl he had always longed for.
When he learned the news, he finally woke up and returned to the Li family, taking over from his fourth brother and guarding the Listening Rain Pavilion, cutting off contact with the girl.
Although many people had tried to console him, saying that it had nothing to do with him, and that during the Dragon City battle, his eldest brother, Li Tianzong, had led the army himself, and no one else had been there. Everyone had been guarding their own territories.
But Li Muqiu felt otherwise.
He had never been favored by his father, and his personality was carefree and unfocused.
He had been idle, and so he felt guilty, a guilt that had taken root in his heart, refusing to let him move on.
"I heard that Hao'er has reached the Three Immortalities and can even rival a Demon King. I wonder how he cultivated to such a level."
Seeing the sadness in Li Muqiu's eyes, Li Qingzheng quickly changed the subject and smiled, "Now that we're bringing him back, he shouldn't have to compete with Li Qianfeng anymore, and we can directly appoint him as a true dragon."
"Tian Gang probably won't have any objections, right? After all, after this battle, Hao'er's achievements are evident, and he should be bestowed a fiefdom!"
Hearing his words, Li Muqiu snapped out of his thoughts, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes as he coldly snorted, "Of course. His achievements are no less than those of Little Nine back then. Hao'er is only fifteen years old, and he will be bestowed a fiefdom and appointed a general. I want to see how Tian Gang will criticize his son's temperament now."
"What happened back then was a misunderstanding. I don't know why Tian Gang was so impulsive and didn't let Hao'er finish speaking. Ah!" Li Qingzheng shook his head and sighed.
Li Muqiu's eyes flickered, and he said in a low voice, "I wonder if Hao'er will be willing to come back and recognize me as his second uncle."
Li Qingzheng glanced at him and recalled the figure of the boy who had walked out of the Divine General Mansion alone in the midst of the wind and snow. He fell silent for a moment.
...
As time passed, all eyes were on the Mo River outside Liangzhou, which had calmed down after the battle.
The area where the Mo River was located used to be part of the Great Yu Dynasty's territory, but due to the river's dangerous nature, it had been separated from the rest.
This showed just how formidable the Mo River was, forcing the usually territory-conscious Great Yu God Dynasty to concede land, something that even the top Demon King-level forces couldn't accomplish.
Li Tiangang remained in the western part of Liangzhou, keeping a close eye on the Mo River.
After another month, Li Tiangang's patience wore thin, and he asked Li Xuanli to watch over the place while he went to Tianmen Pass.
"I'm going to Tianmen Pass," Li Tiangang said.
"Are you going to see Hao'er? But I heard that's just his martial projection," Li Xuanli said, understanding his intentions.
During the recapture of Liangzhou, they had sent people to investigate the situation at Tianmen Pass and found no signs of demon activity.
They could understand this, as Li Hao's battle flag was a powerful deterrent, and no demon would dare to approach.
Moreover, during their reconquest of Liangzhou, they had learned about Li Hao from a captured bird demon from the Celestial Hall.
Li Hao had swept through the area five thousand li beyond Tianmen Pass, and no demon dared to invade!
Additionally, the demons had intentionally avoided Tianmen Pass during their invasion of Liangzhou!
These two pieces of information shocked the soldiers and the powerful experts who had come to reinforce them.
No one expected that the demon army, which had united three top Demon Kings, would dare to face the million-strong army in the east and west but not dare to invade the southern pass guarded by a young man. One man against a million!
Along with Li Hao's display of power on the battlefield, everyone was stunned and silent.
The young man's strength indeed warranted the demons' cautious respect.
It's often not your teammates but your opponents who know how good you are.
Similarly, only you know who the weakest link on the opposing team is.
Undoubtedly, they hadn't realized the young man's growth yet, but the demons beyond Tianmen Pass had already experienced it firsthand.
Furthermore, Li Tiangang wrote to the Imperial Palace, requesting more battle flags to assist in defending Liangzhou.
However, after several days, the response he received was that the Astrology Department didn't have such means, and he should ask Li Hao how he had achieved such a feat.
Upon receiving this reply, Li Tiangang was bewildered.
He thought of the words spoken by the Candlelight God when he appeared, and he felt his blood boiling.
Had the young man created that sword formation and battle flag himself? Who had helped him?
Li Tiangang realized that he knew very little about his son.
Aside from being valued by the Emperor and loved by the older generation of the family, there were some secrets that even he didn't know about.
He had written to his second uncle to ask, but the response he got was slightly mocking: "He's your son. You're asking me, who should I ask?" Li Tiangang was already familiar with his second uncle's temperament, so he didn't get angry.
However, from this reply, he realized that his second uncle probably didn't know either.
After all, this matter was of great importance, and even if his second uncle resented him, he wouldn't be vague about such a thing.
Since that was the case, he could only ask Li Hao himself to find out.
Now, Li Hao hadn't returned from the Mo River, and his fate was unknown.
Li Tiangang planned to go to Tianmen Pass first to see if Li Hao's martial projection, which was said to have basic movement capabilities, had retained some memories.
Aside from inquiring about the battle flag, he wanted to know if Li Hao was confident about escaping the Mo River and returning safely.
With his fourth uncle, who had spent over a decade studying the Mo River in Dragon City, accompanying him, he should be fine...